Lowrider buzz shifts into high gear at East Pilsen festival

Low-rider culture is on display in Pilsen at a fourth annual festival, where the public can check out more than 200 tricked-out cars and a bicycled-powered wheel with a chef and DJ made by Redmoon Theater Company.

Low-rider culture is on display in Pilsen at a fourth annual festival, where the public can check out more than 200 tricked-out cars and a bicycled-powered wheel with a chef and DJ made by Redmoon Theater Company.

Kim GeigerTribune reporter

Hundreds of lowriders cruised into the East Pilsen neighborhood Sunday for a festival showcasing the culture of souping up old cars and driving them “slow and low.”

The festival, in its fourth year and hosted by the Chicago Urban Art Society, aims to promote the craftsmanship and artistry of lowriding, which emerged more than 50 years ago out of Mexican-American communities in the Southwest.

Staged along South Lumber Street, the festival draws car enthusiasts from across Chicago and the Midwest, said organizer Peter Kepha.

“Although they don't consider themselves traditional artists, how could you look at these cars and not see that they're pieces of art?” Kepha said.

The elaborate paint jobs, meticulously maintained accessories and chrome embellishments can take years and thousands of dollars to get just right, said Juan Silva, a member of the Viejitos Car Club, whose worldwide membership is devoted to fixing up bomb-style cars — those built with rounded hoods that resemble a World War II-era bomb.

“It's more of an art deco look that we try to achieve,” said Silva, 35, a tattoo artist who has a shop in Crystal Lake.

Achieving that look requires determined hunting at swap meets and on Craigslist and eBay for vintage parts that can run in the hundreds of dollars.

Hundreds of lowriders cruise in the East Pilsen neighborhood for a festival showcasing the culture of souping up old cars.

“Sometimes you can find them brand new, still in the box,” said Jose Martinez, 38, a warehouse manager from the South Side who is also a member of the Viejitos club.

But it's the hydraulic suspensions that allow the cars to sit low to the ground that most define them and the “slow and low” culture.

“We're not trying to get anywhere fast; we're just enjoying the ride,” said Sergio Trevino, 32, a mechanical assembler from the South Side.

The social aspect of the lowriding culture is what's most rewarding, Silva said.

“It's about camaraderie,” he said.

Car clubs like Viejitos offer an opportunity for enthusiasts to share tips and help one another locate parts. The clubs also get together for rides.

“The true joy is driving them, and driving them far,” Silva said.

Kepha said he and his sister Lauren Pacheco organized the festival in an effort to expose more Chicagoans to the lowriding culture.

Third-generation Mexican-Americans who were born and raised in the Brighton Park neighborhood, Kepha and Pacheco run the Chicago Urban Art Society, a nonprofit exhibition space on the corner of South Jefferson and West Cermak.

“We want to tap into our clientele and get them into this,” said Kepha.